Wow. This is quite interesting. 1 Lover, it's a unique find. Thanks for posting it.
HOW MIGHT GOD SPEAK TODAY?
This sort of thing here, where we see what appears to be providence is a way, I believe, in which God provides unique perhaps time related insights toward Him. We have all probably heard arguments about cessationism vs continuationism (once the canon of scripture was closed, did the sign gifts continue or cease?). That has been a long standing difference among believers over time. What is interesting that seems to have not been considered so much is a different thought upon the closing of the canon of scripture. We know that God speaks in His word through prophets of old and in the later days His Son,
Hebrews 1:1-3
1 Long ago God spoke to our early fathers in many different ways. He spoke through the early preachers. 2 But in these last days He has spoken to us through His Son. God gave His Son everything. It was by His Son that God made the world. 3 The Son shines with the shining-greatness of the Father. The Son is as God is in every way. It is the Son Who holds up the whole world by the power of His Word. The Son gave His own life so we could be clean from all sin. After He had done that, He sat down on the right side of God in heaven.
But once the Son has spoken in His word, and the canon closed, then what? We know we will see the sign of the Son of man at the end of the tribulation. That does not appear to be an audible sign necessarily (that we know of). When Christ rules on earth for 1,000 years, He certainly will be speaking. That will be an interesting bridge in time, because what will be the case then is the fulfilled prophecy that Christ will be speaking as scripture spoken in canon closed fashion is still going on. For they then during the 1,000 year riegn will know Christ in their very midst, but will somehow still have what they will at the end of that age--the devil unleashed again. And the White Throne Judgement still to come. But might point is it will be an interesting combination in prophecy being literally fulfilled while also playing out...still -- as Christ be speaking for 1,000 years during that time. So even though the canon would be closed at the start of the 1,000 year reign, there is a continuation in which Christ continues to speak.
I believe for the sake of things having their limits and boundaries that Christ speaking during the 1,000 years will be its own category of time where that is how God wants that timeframe to go. And not so much that we might hear Him speak today just as if he will be speaking in the 1,000 year riegn. I understand there might be some different thinking in relation to what I am saying. But for contrast sake we can all agree the 1,000 year reign will have Christ definately speaking.
THE AGE OF GRACE AND PROVIDENCE
But what about the period of time between the closing of the canon of scirpture and the 1,000 year riegn? Even as a cessationist that believes the sign gifts accompanied the affirming of the new testament attestment period and would see have stopped after that period (as far as traditional gifts given generally in the church...this is merely my take), I believe whatever miracle, or healing, or way in which God might provide insight from Him could be whatever He wants to do. But it is on that last point about how God might provide insights in the age of grace (and perhaps even more so in the closing of the age of grace at the doorstep of the tribulation), that I find a fascinating arena to consider, even as a cessationist.
Being a cessationist to me in part means that God is not using people to prophesy about His word aside from perhaps insightful things provided adding to clarity to what is already written. I believe Andy Woods is a cessationist and does not believe in progressive revelation in the sense that God is still giving new and different details about the unfolding of the grand scheme of His plan. But that God has included the overall framework of His plan already concretely anchored in the canon of scripture. Andy does believe though in progressive illumination. That as saints travel the trajectory of 100's of years, things would become clearer to His saints over time. Culminating in the the book of Daniel being revealed (I believe) in the tribulation period. And I would agree with that. But in that we would likely see how things are illuminated to us by a work of His spirit in us. Which I would agree with. But what is not so taken into consideration (which has its dangerous of reading too much into things) is how God Himself might use organic elements in progressive history and events that might also inform illuminationally with His children and toward those who could see clearer (Providence unfolding) witnessing the way in which providential history unfolding also grants illumination (or arenas of perseptive) to those that don't know Him.
CAN THE LOST BENEFIT FROM PROVIDENCE SPEAKING?
In that last one, I understand it might not seem that Providence unfolding around the lost would be something to inform them of God. And it is really only the word they reject that can bring them to Christ. I don't dismiss the importance of the word and the ministry of the word to the lost. But in that same word in which the power of the gospel regenerates and transforms lives it also attests: Romans 1...
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth [
m]in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident [
n]within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
So we see that God has made it evident to "everyone" about Him in creation. And this is enough for mankind to be judged for not honoring Him, even aside from the word of God they might not even be aware of to consider to look for Him there. This here does not suggest Providence unfolding to also inform us of Him. But we are alive at a time where we could say that God hath tipped His hat toward the generation receiving Israel becoming a country again. For at that time, prophesy unrolling meets providence unfolding. And those alive at a time when God's chosen people enter their prophetic stage, we have a time where prophecy intermingles with Providence. And by the very way the church came about is interesting too.
WHAT OWNERSHIP OF PROPHETIC WRITING?
For it had been preached in the Old Testament that the gentiles would come to know God too, like Israel. In that sense the church had come about prophetically. But as far as I am aware of, the church on her arrival never wrote prophetic scripture. I mean that aside from the apostles who were a bridge crossover group from the Old Testament/New Testament transitioning period, the apostles were all a Jewish carryover bridge group. Testifying as those from the Old Testament era affirming the New Testament. And it would stand to reason that those who held deep understandings of their Old Testament roots be the ones who would "ok" the validity and the concept of a New Testament. Rather than it just have been a fringe group trying to start some gnostic version of the Old Testament. And in that the function of the remnant of Israel would be prophetic in the sense of also writing the closing books of the canon of scripture. Not representatively as the church as much as testifiers of the validity of the New Testament.
So I do see that the church did come about upon the wings of having been prophesied about in the Old Testament. But our arrival seemed to be providential: Romans 11:12...
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
So since the church function was not to write canon, and came providentially, it would stand to reason that the church would not be as much in the last days of the age of grace that which might have more profound or most profound prophetic takes than prophecy itself might be yielding aside from us...perhaps namely the use of Israel (in unbelief) to be most prophetic in comparison to perhaps how the last days of the age of grace might otherwise function. In other words, God fulfilling "prophecy" with Isreal (through their providential meet up with Ezekiel 38) "likely" be the preeminent prophecy wayshower being the fundamental route in how prophecy unfolds--having more of a foothold on both the direction prophecy takes and the way by which to understand all of it in relation by. The trend we experience however seems to more so be getting at a sense of how we are understanding players today to take us into the tribulation. A brief overview of this approach is graciously seen by a sister in the Lord on this 7 minute YouTube channel video. Where her concerns of how things are forming politically and strategically seem to bring her heart down.
Hi again dear saint. Wow. This is so very heart felt. I have been watching you for almost a decade now. You are a staple voice of lovely familiarity to me. My views as a believer on eschatology are very different than the norms. I don't know if among the 600+ comments you might find this one...
www.youtube.com
THE POTENTIAL "KEY" TO MODERN PROPHECY UNFOLDING
But if God intervenes some way, I believe much of the surrounding noise of concern might pale in significance in contrast. However confusing things might become socio-politically. And however how much a template for the tribulation seems to be forming in front of us might seem, I believe the most profound sense of prophecies core focus still to be Israel and Ez 38 for our days. If so, it will overshadow sociopolitical Providence and even most likely redefine it. That is not to say I am saying that sociopolitical unfolding is not providentially relevant to our nearing and maybe even overlap toward a tribulation period. But what Israel and Ez 38 seem to pose in our day more of is "the key" of where everything else in relation may fit. At least this is my understanding.
In that above video the dear woman in that video has written The Deep State Encyclopedia. In which she details globalist plans. I actually like her channel even though I would see a different age of grace end time trajectory. I wanted to post her breif video to just suggest that I don't believe how we see sociopolitical unflodings today should be our best starting point. Which seems to be a popular way to do Eschatology.--by perhaps a Deep State Encyclopedia approach. Become very intrenched in the social political forming of our day without the robust Ez 38 backdrop can bring us likely into psychological thrillers that might not have the import they might in contrast to God's truer overarching themse in prophecy proper. But rather, yes, I believe we should keep an eye on all things, but major in the simplisticity of scripture to be a core driving preeminent true prophetic virtue signal as to how everything else lines up. And likely not the other way around. I just bring all this up for context of where my views tend to come from. Not that this is addressing anything you may or may not see in this article. For it seems you posted this article in sincere awe of this perhaps being a thing. And I am glad dear sister you did. Amen.
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THE USA BATTLE HYMM AS PROPHECY???
So I wanted to note all the above as context for this: So what about this Battle Hymm serving as a prophetic element in our times? I believe it is. From the providential writing of it, to the playing of it in our time. To still further our notice of it. And of course its certain attachment to America. Some in certain camps would liken to see perhaps a stroke of Christian Nationalism overture. And Christian Nationalism has gotten a lot of buzz today. So for those thinking that way, they would see the Battle Hymm as prophetic to be a deceptive ploy of Christian Nationalism mindset. I don't. In part that would be, for me, because I would see Ez 38 as preeminent. With Ez 38 locked in site, who cares what Chrsitian Nationalism might or might not be. The real story I would liken to the contrast Ruth was to the Book of Judges. While all the fanfare and noise and sinful cycle of Isreal in the book of judges was going on. And while the judges themselves were in a sense pictures of a Messiah to come in themes. Ruth (the back road story written at the same time as judges) was the real story of the true lineage of messiah. And in that same kind of way, I believe Israel and Ez 38 is THE real backstory to an otherwise very loud fanfare observaition of the NWO concern and story. In the book of judges, we know it to be the word of God. So with the NWO, there is some real story there. But like Ruth had living vitals of messiahs ancestry to be told in quite backstory fashion in contrast to the colorful book of judges, I would seem a similarity that the true prophetic backstory unfolding today is Israel and Ez 38, while most are capture with a NWO trajectory.
TRUMP AND THE BIBLE
In looking at it in this way, though, I do believe that America is prominent in helping Israel get their peace and safety moment. And to that end, it would seem, yeah, prophetically it makes a lot of sense why the Battle Hymm was performed at the Trump inaugural. For I believe it would be fiting to do so. So it is in this sense 1 Lover, I would see God perhaps using Providence as a voice in agreement of prophetic climax. All along the way. Which is typically seemingly very much apparent all along the way., to me. This notice being a symptom of likely how God speaks in unfolding Providence. Amen. I think a good thing to consider in relation to this potentially being a thing might be, in what way? For if we see a hymm written in antiquity for the USA, and it be of some potential prophetic import, how on one hand might we be ok seeing that, but when Trump includes the constitution in one book with the Bible, we don't? I say that with equal concern. Do I believe the Constituion belongs next to the Bible in one book? No. But do I think that occuring implications (in contrast to many eschatological views today that insist America is not included in prophecy) can bring a clarity of Trump including the constitution in with the Bible to suggest providentially a theme perhaps to take note of maybe more than a book hussled by a politician? Yes, I actually do.
In that, of course, I share a tension of not including the Constituion in the same book as the Bible i--and believe it is something we should not do. While understanding its belwhether potential in having become a social artifcat of our time providentially speaking. And hopefully in that tension it helps to consider how God might use Providence in some form of active increasing illumination of prophecy. If that makes sense? Well, I could not resist the attempt at further detailing this observation I have kind of had over the years. At a very profound point perhaps in making it hopefully. Blessings dear sister.
